Hello - sorry for the long absence. Life is just so busy and sometimes my priorities have to lie elsewhere. I hope you understand. But here I am with some things that are making me happy at the moment.
Crocheting coathangers covers...I'm so totally loving this at the moment and I can finish one in a couple of nights! Yes, me actually finish something. Heavens!
It's March and the shops have little pots of spring bulbs and flowers for less than a pound which I dot around the house. Simple but perfect.
Last weekend I experienced a 'first'. Matthew came to stay and we went to our local bird hide and look what we saw - a Bullfinch! Our first, and what a handsome chap he was, much more orange than he looks in the photo. I was most excited. Matthew even sees Goldfinches in his Winchester garden...sigh...even though I have nyjer seed in one of my ahem..many feeders I doubt I will ever get any. Or even a Bullfinch for that matter, but at least I have seen my first.
What I call the yearly bluebell cover of Country Living is out. They usually do a bluebell shoot around this time and it's my favourite because bluebells are my favourite flowers. Isn't it lovely? I do love their styling - they get it just right.
We have been bathed in sunshine these last few days which has also made me happy. It's amazing what a little bit of sun can do to your spirits can't it? I hope your week has been made up of some happy things too xx
This week's happy things that are making me..er..happy.
::New birds::
I have zilch/zero birds in my garden which will come as no surprise to those of you who read this blog regularly. I don't know what happened this summer to my sparrows, but I did spend the summer evenings in the garden with my face skywards as soon as I heard the screaming overhead. Yes, I would stand marvelling at the acrobatics of the swifts and we even had some nesting in our eaves but only saw them once. Now I have more birds on our fridge than we have outside (not counting pesky seaguls and magpies!) Look at these magnets I found on Saturday. I just HAD to have them. The price made Anth wince. Oops.
::My Own Birds::
I can't look at this photo taken on Lucy's 18th birthday without smiling and my heart feeling all mushy. I love my babies. Each one of them. So much. And the best thing is that they love each other. I really love that.
(how and when did they get so big??)
::My Gospel Choir::
Yes, I have found a choir. Not quite the cathedral choir I wanted (tongue-in-cheek!!) but it is just down the road and Lucy comes along with me. We have only been once so we will see but it's a start isn't it?
::New Doormat::
A Greengateone no less. Only trouble is I won't let anyone stand on it...
::Matthew's New Talent::
Bless him - this summer my brother was desperate to have a go on the organ at my aunt Madelyn's church. She arranged for him to be able to do this and it was lovely to watch him try and master the ancient instrument. He did really well - and no - there was not a single note of Coldplay that came from those pipes!
::It's On It's Way!!::
No,not the fair but the C word!!!
::The English Countryside in Late Summer::
::Our Pink Bed::
Now the photos are showing the pink to be more 'Barbie' than it really is. It's true tone is much softer and creamer (gee, I sound like Gregg Wallace from Masterchef!)
And I can only show you half of the bed as the other half is in a terrible mess. Sorry. I'm also loving my newly thrifted retro pillowcases which actually tones very well with the new paint job despite what the photo tells you.
Anyway, enough happy things for one day. If you would like to share your happy things in the comments feel free. xxxxxxxxxx
- I'm finding it so, so hard to juggle my time at the moment with having to work everyday! How do people manage who have to work full-time all the time/run a home/have 3 teenage children at home and sitting exams/have far too many interests to squeeze into one day/and find themselves stuck in bed with migraines 4 out of 5 of the last weekends? Phew..the house is quite unrecognisable with mess/clutter and dirt and I've just had to let some things go - my blogging being one of them. But I have missed this space and am ignoring the dirty floor to sit and chat to you for a while. But I've had a great week this week and here's why.
:: A new crochet obsession- the 'ordinarily extraordinary' blanket ::
:: Singing in a choral workshop in Salisbury Cathedral last Saturday ::
(ooh, I was seriously excited about that folks. I asked Anth to take a photo and I'm afraid they came out a bit blurred to say the least but I've put an arrow pointing to where I am!)
Talking choirs - I spent a large part of my childhood in a church choir and I am desperately yearning to join another that has all the musical parts or a choral society. I'm finding it hard to find one locally but the search is on as the need to sing choral music seems to have been reawakened. It must have been all those times sitting behind the choir in the Quire in Salisbury Cathedral and being so moved by the soaring voices that I am covered in goose bumps and I have a lump in my throat. It is in my blood though as my father used to a chorister at New College Oxford and my lovely aunt Madelyn has her own choir and a beautiful voice. (Though mine does need working on so some lessons might be in order first.)
:: Discovering a new anthem ::
Carrying on from my choral bliss last weekend I was sent into the stars quite literally at Evensong when listening to the choir perform this anthem by Jonathan Dove, 'Seek Him that Maketh The Seven Stars'
I had the privilege of being seated in the Quire right behind them so was fully immersed in the beautiful sound which I confess moved me to tears. You can listen to a version here on YouTube but it isn't as good as the Salisbury Cathedral version on their CD, Praise & Thanksgiving Anthems (in my humble opinion) Don't tell anyone but I'm actually going to buy the sheet music so I can learn to sing it properly by myself so I can sing along to the CD! How sad is that? I told you I just had to sing in a choir didn't I! Well a girl's got to do what a girl's got to do.
Seek Him that maketh the seven stars and Orion and turneth the shadow of death into the morning. Alleluia, yea, the darkness shineth as the day, the night is light about me. Amen. Words Amos 5:8 and Psalm 139
:: The receiving of the most wonderful gift ::
Sometimes, very occasionally, I find myself lost for words. A week or 2 ago was one of those times. I was so very blessed to be gifted the most loveliest crochet cushion by sweet Emma from way 'up North'. The fact that someone actually made it for me still makes me tear up because I have never even met her and the hours of work that has gone into this...I'm welling up again. Sigh. You should see the back, it's just as lovely as the front.
The rest of the family were touched by Emma's generosity too and I have noticed them each studying the cushion carefully when it arrived - probably, me thinks, wanting to see what a real life finished crochet project looks like...hmm. Emma, words still fail me xxxxxxxx
:: Alice has started to crochet ::
Well let's not get too excited just yet. She has started to chain stitch but has really enjoyed doing that and has made bracelets for her friends - so there's hope she might be turning out cushions like Emma by Christmas and I won't have to make any presents this year as she will! She's not interested in the least in making anything else so this photo is probably the last you'll see. Shame. I have to laugh because as soon as she said she wanted to learn I was up off my seat and over to the bookcase pulling out all my 'how-to' crochet books as fast as my little legs could carry me. The hooks were out and a choice of yarn colours thrust under her nose. Hopefully I'll be proved wrong and she'll be on her first granny blanket by next month and actually finish them, unlike her mother.
Oh these last few days - I've had the best few days I've had all year! The sun has shone, and I have pottered about at home doing all the things I enjoy. A little sewing. Wearing my new flowery pyjama trousers (Primark. I just love new PJ's.) ..
..drinking plenty of tea..
Going to my favourite car boot sale on Saturday morning and finding ...
a new £2 crochet tablecloth - perfect for the back of our sofa.
A new £2 knitted blanket (which the sellers were using as a ground sheet!)
:: actually being able to go out onto our patio through our new doors ::
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ :: The Delicious Miss Dahl ::
Only there are a few problems. I have serious, serious kitchen and kitchen utensils envy when Lucy and I watch her cookery programme.
I love the programme though I'm not interested in the slightest in the cooking (I actually fast forward through that bit!) but I do pause our sky+ and spend ages, much to everyone's annoyance, studying all the details of the kitchen and rewinding the poetry bits and the snippets of music. I love Sophie and apparently she has been given some bad reviews about the show. Shame.
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:: driving to school the 'lanes way' for the first time this year ::
Today was my first full day at school and I am not completely exhausted!
P.S I would like to thank you for your kind comments about my eyelashes (they're still hanging on!) in my previous post. The diet is going very well but I don't think I have lost any weight - how can that be!?
I mean - how utterly ridiculous! I haven't yet opened the envelope to see what I have to do to be rich, famous and a 'big box office hit.' I knew one day I might find a way to Chris Martin so maybe this might not be so utterly ridiculous after all. I'll keep you posted..
What could have been misconstrued as today's inappropriateness
(I keep laughing about it) We had 4 teenagers (plus Anth and me) in our tiny 3 bedroom house last night. Lucy's lovely friend stayed over and this morning there was a queue for the bathroom. At one stage Anth and I were in the bathroom together with the door locked (unheard of usually but we had a guest) and I nearly had a mishap and screamed out, "Anth, stop, stop I'm slipping!" and then there was a lot of giggling. Now, remember our bathroom is really small and Anth was pushing pass me to reach something and I nearly went head over heels over the side. It was only when I stopped shouting that I realised that it sounded as if we were up to no good. At that time in the morning too??!! I dread to think what Lucy's friend thought.
Little love tokens
I had only sat down for 20 seconds this morning when a little boy sidled up to me to give me a sweet from his birthday party. 10 seconds later came a heart from a little girl. Not to be outdone 2 more followed in quick succession. It made me smile.
I have always loved eccentric people. People who were braver than me to express themselves without worrying what others thought of them. When I was younger I would hang around them hoping that some of their individuality would rub off onto me. But what I usually love most is the shock factor about their behaviour. I was brought up in a very English middle-class family - my parents were hotel managers and I spent my first 17 years living in large hotels. This meant I met/lived/worked with many different kinds of people many of them eccentric. An unconventional childhood in many ways but certainly in my eyes a privileged one. (Though it has played havoc with my cooking skills...well that's my excuse!!) The wonderful characters I came across still get spoken about today, their catch phrases and some of the outrageous tomfoolery enjoyed even now. Others were like an extended family to me and influenced my life with their artistic and creative ways. I have always been able to mix with people from different walks of life and I put that down to my upbringing and the variety of people I came in contact with. I recently came across someone who ticks all my boxes for pure, outrageous, eccentric, tomfoolery. Thank goodness I am never likely to meet him (shame he is on a reality show in London) because we would not be a good combination. He never fails to delight me and make me laugh. There is more of him on YouTube - do partake.
My mother says I never know when to stop and yes, I am sometimes judged to be ..er..shall we say inappropriate. I say I have a rather naughty (probably should read outrageous) sense of humour which I don't reveal in all it's ingloriousness on this blog; but that doesn't stop me trying to take any opportunity to see the funny side of most eventualities or better still hoping someone else (like good old Louie above) might be persuaded to do something while I watch on wetting myself with laughter. It worked well on my 3 brothers when they were younger. Fortunately, I don't know anyone these days who I can lead astray but my brother Matthew and I have on occasion , as Anth says, "New Zealand accent here..Ahh, you have gone too far this time..!" Yes, I would get no work done with Louie around and I would probably only try and outdo him and fail miserably. I love eccentrics. And what got me thinking about eccentrics in the first place? Well, I was called one last Sunday - yeah me. Me! It was by a double-glazing salesman. He had sat in our horrendously untidy sitting-room for 2 hours. Stared at the 2 ginormous flowery bags that had wool spilling out all over the floor like spaghetti. Contemplated the 2 foot tower of magazines and old newspapers in the corner. Stroked the half shaved cat. Gazed at the wall of flowers. Inspected our rotten french doors which we haven't been able to open since December (hence why he was there). Observed the 15 buckets and 5 chimney pots outside with dead plants in them. Did a double take at my sparkly corner. Wondered why there was a Migra Cap (that's if he even had any idea that was what it was!) lying on the floor (I was on Day 4 I think). Mentioned my Mary on the mantelpiece (but can't remember what he said). Drank his tea from a flowery tea cup. Had to be physically pulled out of the chair by the fireplace as it has lost it's springs and he sat down before I could stop him. But the words were uttered, albeit kindly, from his lips when he was leaving and standing at the front door looking down in astonishment at our flowery side plates and bowls - our entire kitchen cupboard spread out on the floor by the entrance to the house. I just smiled and took it as a compliment. Well I am English I should be a little eccentric if nothing else.
And the reason why we have our crockery by the front door? Last week, yes they have been there over a week, Anth could take the wobbly tower of (fabulous/gorgeous/beautiful) plates and bowls no more and has ordered me (nicely) to sort them into a more manageable hillock. Umm..I haven't quite got around to it yet, but I will tomorrow. I'm sure.
Another sunny morning and it isn't just the humans in the household enjoying it's warmth. I stood for a moment watching him rolling on our bed. Slightly different story this time last week. Alfie had to have a little haircut...well a big haircut really.
Poor boy had got rather matted and I was out of action for the last few weeks and was unable to keep up with the grooming. He has been behaving rather strangely since he has been, er, scalped as he keeps jumping onto things that he shouldn't or hasn't done so before. Take the above photo on my trolley. (Look how grumpy he is!) He also has been jumping into our bath and basin. Perhaps he feels lighter on his paws.
Ooh the big pleasure today is having Matthew (my youngest brother) here and my Tom for the weekend. Matthew came with a surprise for me..look....look..
...tickets for my beloved Crosby Stills and Nash. I am sooooooooooooooo thrilled and excited!!! I may not have mentioned very often how I spent my teenage years, after loving pre 1980 Genesis, totally LOVING Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young (I was a bit of a hippy then.) I have only seen them once and that was in 1983. I was unemployed and living in Perth Scotland and saved up to buy a ticket and the train fare to Birmingham (it was a 6 hour journey). I was the youngest in the audience and the first to run down to the front and was thanked for doing so by one of them. I love David Crosby best, then Stephen Stills and then Graham Nash. What I do dislike immensely is whenever anyone plays any of their music it is always 'Teach Your Children' or 'Marrakesh Express' which are totally the worst songs they have ever made. It doesn't showcase their wonderful harmonies. Right, rant over but my goodness I am so looking forward to seeing them. I thought I would have to go to the US to see them again as I missed out in getting tickets last year when they were in the UK. Such big pleasure...I'm counting the days...
Thursday morning was bathed in spring sunshine so I decided it was time I got behind the wheel again and ventured out by myself...driving! The last time I drove was the 12th Jan and I did wonder if I could actually make the 15 minute journey to the best local charity shop area (pure bliss, 3 good ones in 100 yards).
The lure of charity shops proved too strong and I set off. I had a wonderful time, though pickings weren't brilliant, but best of all my legs felt normal. I felt normal! One of my two of my finds were the china flowers above (left) and this sweet tea pot.
I also visited a pet shop and bought more arsenal for the 'feeder wars'
I even bought meal worms (dead, I hasten to add!) which I had to steel myself to touch. So now the tree has 5, yes 5 feeders of varying types.
And have they been visited since? Just blooming once by a single blue tit. Once. Well, they could have gone on them during the rare time I wasn't gazing out of the window wasting time waiting. The family think I've gone over the top and goodness knows what the neighbours think as it is actually their tree, but it hangs over our access to the back of our house and I did ask. But I assured Anth that I would buy no more. My arsenal is complete..I just have to wait and wait so it seems - dead meal worms or not. And the date? Anth and I went to the movies to see Everything's Fine. It was such a lovely film which had me trying to stifle my sobs into my vintage hankie, though Anth thought I was sneezing! Sneezing? Perhaps it was my shoulders shaking which confused him. It is a sentimental and gentle film and I highly recommend it. Actually, thinking about it none of the 6 other people who were at the screening (yes 6!) were crying. Yes, my friends, it looks like I maybe getting back to normal at long last.
When Anth and I went to York back in November I bought some Cath Kidston hankies (though I really wouldn't describe them as hankies - more of a neckerchief. I love that word, neckerchief! My children would cringe if they heard me use it and laugh at me. Hmm, it is the sort of word my mother would use in her very english precise voice. Neck-er-chief. I must be turning into her. Mmm. ) Anyway, I bought them with the idea of turning them into square pillowcases. I first made the red one for the Christmas Eve new pillowcase tradition but then got poorly so no sewing for me.
But last week I managed to pull out my sewing machine and made 3 more,yes it was a bit of a marathon but I paced myself (the bird one is folded on the bed.) I think my favourite is the new blue one which I got in Totnes the other week, but I have looked on Cath's website and found these two
which will go onto my wish list. Sigh...I have a very long wish list.. but hey this week I'm not thinking about what I haven't got, only what I have got, and people let me tell you I am blessed.
My darling mother bought me this and presented me with it on Friday. As I cannot rely on my painkillers any more to limp through the day until I can safely go to bed and inject myself with the nasty, nasty migraine drug - I have had to resort to ice packs. I usually have a pouch with an elastic strap that goes around my head. So alluring. Gee, I'm so hot I could be smokin'! But a more thoughtful gift I could not have wished for.. The family is proud of what I have accomplished these few weeks behind the scenes. I am proud. Their support means everything to me. Slight problem though....looking at this photo do you think I've blown any chance of getting Chris Martin to fall in love with me....?
(and the first time I have ever seen a daughter of mine in a wedding dress! [Duh..obviously!])
Yes, she was chosen to be Cinderella in her school's pantomime which we went and saw last Friday. I just love this photo even though everyone else is blurred. It really epitomises her - shining, eclipsing all the others around her with her sweetness and goodness. My little star. She has waited a long, long time to be a leading lady. My mother, Robin and sweet Grandpa drove all the way from Salisbury just for the show.
I am so proud of Alice. She is blossoming into such a kind and thoughtful young woman. Anthony and I have recently received some very encouraging comments about her from various people and I am so grateful that they take the time to tell us. That is one of the best things about my mothering journey. And the best thing at Friday's performance? That was right at the very end when the cast came into the audience and my youngest child, resplendent in her wedding gown ran straight up the aisle and into my arms. Laughing all the way. Later, when I was in bed - ice pack strapped to my head (remember that pesky migraine I had for the rest of the weekend?) I told her how touched I was that she chose to run to me first, out of all the family there.
"Well of course I would," she exclaimed, " you are my mother and I love you more than anyone in the world. You are the most important person in my life. I told my friends that too."
All that from a Daddy's girl too.
My heart hasn't been the same since....
[an embroidery I made for a 4 year old Alice in 1999 - long before her love of acting flourished]
Last week had been a changeable week both in terms of the weather and my outlook. The week started off well with me feeling stronger and enjoying pottering around the house - even having glimpses of the girl I used to be (though I know there are parts of her that I will never be again). But as the week progressed I began to struggle. On Friday I came down with another migraine (last weekend was blighted with one too) and it only went on Sunday afternoon. I was not good company. I spent the whole weekend thinking of what I didn't have enough of - certain possessions, money, energy, health, clothes, better relationships, confidence and a flat stomach. It was only when I woke up this morning that I realised that I had been on such a downward spiral that I had gotten into the habit of thinking negatively and that this week is going to be different. So my friends, it will be a week of Good Things starting today. See, the sun has come out already and my lovely husband bought me a primrose. Yes, a 79 pence pot of spring goodness is today's Good Thing.
I do hope you are not all getting totally bored with the whole list thing. I really love writing them as it is making me focus on the good things - big and little - rather than what I could be worrying about...have I mentioned to you that I worry? I do. A lot. And I'm also loving reading your lists in the comments as well so do join in if you feel like sharing.
So here we go..
:: The magical signs of a new season (quite possibly my favourite) approaching ::
:: Wearing boots again (and my new skirt too.) ::
:: Lovely Steph'scomment she left yesterday about 2 children's Christmas books she bought after reading my book list. I'm so glad you're pleased Steph. ::
:: The fact that I have finished my 'solo' teaching for the week already ::
:: My new mug bought for me by my dear friend Sarah - it is so me ::
:: Half term is drawing ever closer (end of October) which is when I'm painting the floorboards in the sitting room. I can hardly wait ::
:: The late summer sun which continues to shine ::
:: 2 more DVDs of Lark Rise To Candleford (series one) to watch ::
:: Alfie on sentry duty ::
:: The song of a robin who has taken up residence in a tree outside our classroom ::
:: There is about 5 or 6 weeks before the Christmas magazines are out ::
:: And finally, I will probably light our fire in the next week as the evenings are getting cooler ::
Thank you so much for your kind response about the bedroom wallpaper. Things are still rather hectic here in our big spruce up before our friends come to stay in 10 days. But life is good and here are just a few things that are making me smile this dreary Monday.
:: My latest crochet blanket::
I'm really enjoying making this and even though I'm just copying it from Yvonne's photograph I think I have worked out the pattern correctly. Though my bag of yarn is taking over our sitting room!
:: Organising the garden ::
We have worked really hard over the last few weeks changing things in the house and garden. Some are only small things but still give a lot of satisfaction when after a long day you can stand back and admire your hard work. Bath panel will be fitted on Wednesday morning at 9am so it wont be long now for the bathroom ta-da. (I think it must hold the record for the longest 'unfinished' bathroom story!)
:: Painting the floor ..again..during a school holiday ::
Mmm..not so sure I'm feeling too cheerful about this as most people actually go on away or relax during their holidays, but my goodness it looks so white and clean when you've done. It has to the most trickiest thing to paint (90%) of the whole house's floors. My heart is constantly in mouth as the children all insist on wandering around shouting " Mum, can I stand on this part?!" whilst standing on it, or letting the cats out of the room. Oh happy days. But if anyone is thinking of painting their floors, do it! It looks wonderful and we don't regret it at all.
:: Discovering a new oil ::
One of my daily pleasures is burning scented oils in my metal light bulb rings and for a long time my favourite has been The Body Shop's Green Tea oil. But good old M & S has a new one, Nectarine and Orange which is lovely and it's cheaper too!
:: The unexpected delivery this morning of September's Country Living ::
:: And finally....::
Because I have painted the kitchen floor, we have to eat out tonight. Woo hoo! Think I might paint the kitchen floor more often....
~ The end of term ~ and sweet words from sweet children. The list has been made in my head of everything I would like to do and yesterday being the first day of the long summer holiday I made a start making these...
~ arm covers for our sofa ~ along with some other bits which are not quite finished yet. And also drinking many cups of this
wonderful tea. I still get a buzz from the gorgeous packaging.
~ And finally, the bathroom very, very nearly finished.
..this cute little dog in his Christmas outfit from a Cadburys advert on the TV. (Lucy and I keep rewinding it to see him over and over again as he is only on screen for about 2 seconds. Needless to say, Anth starts to protest after the 6th time!)
..an attack of the caterpillars. Astounded at the speed they have demolished my Verbascum.
..:noticing:..
..how my desk at school is ever-so-slowly starting to look like an extension of our home.(Yes, I even have my own desk! Well, it's not completely mine as I share it with the lovely Sarah who I job share with. Poor girl, I'm beginning to take it over with my enamel jug and fake flowers; flowery boxes and books on crochet! I don't think she minds though. Better check with her just in case.)
..:driving the lanes way:..
..to school because it's so beautiful and so much quicker as I'm always running late.
..:mourning:..
..the changing of my first home, The Grosvenor Hotel in Shaftesbury. A wonderful old building now being turned into horrid apartments and the once cobbled courtyard looks like this..
Mmm, I'm not good with change and I'm far too sentimental for my own good as I haven't even lived there for 35 years!
Please note the newly found (homemade by someone else) yellow, brush cotton, rosebud pillowcase. [Now there's a long sentence]. Tonight is the first time it will be used and I'm very excited about that. Yes really, I'm not kidding!
2. Watching my Geum magically change from yellow to orange.
3. Loving my 99p buttercup tin.
4. Indulging with my Mother-in-law in 'Anthony Love' when I received this in the post.
She wrote on the back.."ahh, ain't he sweet" which is what she knew I would say when I saw it. [ But if anyone from school is reading this of course I wouldn't really say 'ain't' would I? Oh no, I'm not teaching children literacy and then using grammar like that. Honestly, I swear!]
5. Checking my emails in the supermarket
I will never tire of marvelling at my ability to catch up with my favourite blogs/emails whilst in the toilet paper aisle.
6.Checking daily the progress of my foxglove
It's heading for the sky - at least an inch a day.
7. The revival of Handmade/Homemade
In truth I'm a little disappointed by Kirstie's TV show; but I so love these knitted opening credits.
7. Pink blossom against blue walls
8. Realising that the need for plastic drinking cups is no more
Well, there has to be one reason to celebrate your children getting older..
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Now it's your turn - please tell me some of yours...
Anth and I (due to half term for me and a couple of days holiday for him) went to Tavistock yesterday. We leisurely drove acrossDartmoor amazed at the odd, rather large, piles of snow still lying in places and slightly shuddering at the bleakness of the place. I have to admit that at times I don't find Dartmoor..well..appealing. That is not something I easily admit to as I know I am fortunate to live fairly near to a National Park and yes I know there are some lovely parts; but it is the dramatic, almost harsh landscape that makes me a tad uneasy and my mind strays to what I would do if I was lost out there overnight. I can even be moved to tears at the thought of the cats being taken and then let loose on the moor. Alone and vunerable. Yes, also a tad over-imaginative too.
I love the mini forest though and this time my imagination saw wolves (big and bad of course) a house made of sweeties, a girl in a red hood and 3 bears. We stopped at Clapper Bridge for a leg stretch.
New bridge
Old bridge
And then it was onto Tavistock. Gifts were bought for all who were currently abiding at home this week.
Alice
(their clothes change if you wiggle the cup!)
Alfie & Posy
Though Posy was more excited by the bag the gifts came in.
Anth, well he has drunk his gift last night.
And me. Well, I got lucky and bagged 2 gifts.
Another flowery mug,
and a tray cloth which will be turned into a cushion - hopefully this week. So there were smiles from everyone but also, which was totally unexpected, a few tussles over the bag.
I bumped into my lovely friend Sarah at Sainsburys this weekend. When I think back to our conversation I have to smile because she must think me even giddy than she did before. When we had greeted each other and she asked me how I was, I answered then excitedly thrust a box of tea bags in her face.
"Aren't these tea bags in the nicest packaging? Look!"
The poor girl had no option but to look seeing they were right under her nose.
"Oh yes," she said politely, "they are very trendy and retro."
Oh they so are. We chatted some more and then she left me to my tea bag love. I then spent the rest of the shopping trip fiercely guarding them in case they got squashed by the ridiculous amount of milk I have to buy, a large bag of cat litter and numerous boxes of bread sticks (my latest food must-have).
On arriving home I rush to show Anty who really wasn't at all interested that the packaging on our occasionally bought brand of tea bags has changed and is really trendy.
But it really is. It so has the look of 'now' and reminds me of the graphics in Handmade Nation and other trendy US books. Can you see it too? Did I ever tell you that I bought that book last October? No. I don't think I did. I have only dipped in and out briefly but it looks inspiring and fills me with awe at the talent out there. As does 3191 A Year of Mornings (and evenings and soon to be Miles Apart! Read more here.) which I would love and is on my ever growing wish list. Talking briefly of books - (ooh, I just love books and the smell of bookshops. I'm into some serious bookshop love at the moment), I discovered a set of 3 books on Friday at Waterstones which has had me jumping from one foot to the other in pure joy. I even had to go back into Waterstones an hour later just to look at them again but found my favourite one had gone. Someone could have heard me oohing and arrhing over it and quickly bought it when I left the shop. Yeah, I bet that was it but I'm glad because I would like to support the author. Anyway, I haven't got any of them yet but when I do I'll show you. Oh, they are so, so wonderful and have been out for a year or two though I have never come across them until now. They have such an lovely quaint, English vibe about them. I haven't been able to stop talking about my find..between the books and the tea bags I think everyone at home is zoning out every time I open my mouth. Shame. Thank goodness I have a blog where I can bore you all with my enthusiasm for the little things.
Anyway back to the lovely packaging. I think good packaging is so important and the tea bags certainly caught my eye. So did the 2 mugs in the photo. They are from my latest, and first this year I hasten to add, charity shop run and I love them.
Can you guess which is my tea and which is Anth's? Yes, his is the more healthy Green tea where I like mine strong, sweet and preferably organic.
So, have I been able to open the boxes? No. I think I need to study them a bit longer even though I'm gasping for a cup of tea! See you tomorrow.
After nearly 25 years of married bliss we like to do things a bit differently from time to time. This year for Valentine's Day I received flowers of a different variety. The sort that you see in a Charity Shop window when they have just closed for the night. The sort that has you dreaming into the night of what wonders you may discover the following morning.
Although there were many to choose from I chose 3 small pots of flowers, 2 for a gift and 1 for me. But I was puzzled by something. What makes a pot of china flowers instantly cool or uncool? Old lady or eclectic, flea market style (Yeah, I know I sound old saying 'cool' that but I'm struggling to think of any other words at the moment!) As I examined each one there was something about each piece that made me instantly put it down disappointed. What could that be you may wonder as they all look wonderful from here? Well, I realised it's all about the little china container the flowers are in. Most of the above were in something odd like.. a donkey and cart (what?); a wheelbarrow (can sort of see that one but still don't really like); an old boot (why? There were quite a few of those in different colours); troughs (the pink one,bottom right in the photo. I can't work out why they have left a gap in the middle of each rose. I've been thinking I might be able to put a small picture in and use it that way so I may go back and have another look. Maybe.)
So, what were my small tokens of love for Valentine's Day.
A black pot of flowers (am loving the black as it goes so well with the black fire surround); and 3 flower brooches, one being an embroidered one which I don't find very often. Delicious Valentine's gifts that I chose and we bought together. No expensive roses or chocolates for me, thank goodness as they probably wouldn't last the week - but china and embroidered flowers..well, they will last a lifetime.
My friends, I am in possession of a tidy house. Yes I know, to my family and friends that will come as some surprise. After weeks - no months of dodging piles of pictures that are waiting to be hung; tablecloths waiting to join another pile; umpteen bags over every doorknob; fabrics; newspapers; paint pots and brushes; enormous piles of wool, and books (mainly vintage children's nature guides which are totally useless for my teenage family so I'm told. Shame.) Books, that smell old and horrid and make them feel sick.
But with our niece and her boyfriend from NZ coming for the weekend I spent all of Friday making the place acceptable at long last.
Oh the joy. I keep wandering from room to room feeling my breathing slowing down and just soaking up all the tidiness. So what do you do when your house is actually tidy for once? You take photographs of it so shortly, when it all seems to be a distant memory, you can gaze longingly at what it could be if you were that organised, domestic goddess you so want to be.
So that is the downstairs anyway. Upstairs? Well, with 2 teenage girls in the house I can't at this very moment vouch that their rooms will be tidy but tomorrow I may pluck up the courage and check. But for now, just let me have this one afternoon of domestic bliss.
I'm on my summer holiday now - confirmed, as I look out of our window, by the fine misty drizzle! I was given some lovely gifts on my last day including the frame above which brought tears to my eyes. I was so touched by such a thoughtful gift, even down to the green, flowery frame. Oh, I'll miss that class.
It wasn't the only thing that got the tears pricking my eyes. Just look who is back, nestling amongst the brooches..
Why yes, it's my darling little Robin from Day 10 March Photos. The lady who owned him was leaving and gave him to me. How kind was that.
So I'm home. Yesterday was a tidying sort of day and the chimneys were swept (just can't wait to have my fire back on) and today will be a sewing day as I try to make a loose cover for this
So fingers crossed I'll be showing you an 'after' photo tomorrow! Enjoy your Friday.